Flights to Moscow

Things to do in Moscow

Whether you want to immerse yourself in high culture at the Bolshoi Theatre, explore the city’s history in the Kremlin or have a designer shopping splurge at TSUM, you’ll rarely lack things to do in Moscow.

Sightseeing here can involve something as somber as visiting Lenin’s Mausoleum or as light-hearted as ice-skating in Gorki Park, now a popular meeting spot for fashionable Muscovites. After dark you can choose from designer restaurants where even the doormen look chic, and homey, no-frills places serving hearty traditional food. Nightlife can mean both the dressed-up, look-at-me dancefloor at The Most or the dressed-down cool of the Red October Chocolate Factory’s music shows and club nights.

Moscow sightseeing

Start with the cathedrals and palaces within the walls of the Kremlin, which also displays national treasures including the imperial crown jewels in its armoury. Head next for St Basil’s nine unmistakable onion domes and Lenin’s Mausoleum on Red Square. Other sights well worth visiting are the exquisite 16th century Novodevichy Convent and the Tretyakov Gallery, the world’s best collection of Russian art.

Moscow restaurants

It may seem unlikely, but sushi is a Russian obsession and upmarket society restaurant Vanil is a good place to find it, alongside other Asian fusion dishes. For a romantic, more obviously Russian meal try TsDL, a restaurant housed in a castle-like old building, where Russian and Italian dishes are served in a dining room lined with oak and sandalwood. To discover a home from home, the living room-like Mari Vanna is hidden behind an unmarked door and serves dishes intended to recall the Soviet era, such as horseradish borscht and salmon fishcakes.

Moscow shopping

Once you’ve tried Red Square’s huge but elegant GUM department store, consider heading over to the similarly named TSUM, a pricier take on Moscow designer fashion, or the designer boutiques clustered around Stoleshnikov Alley. For something more down to earth, the Izmailovsky Market’s stalls sell traditional fabrics, paintings, wooden ornaments and Soviet bric-a-brac.

Moscow nightlife

The Swissotel’s City Space Bar attracts Moscow’s high glamour and expense account crowd with its cool, retro-futurist décor and 360-degree view of the city, while The Most’s plush Belle Epoque décor has drawn the likes of Roman Abramovich and Dmitry Medvedev to its restaurant, bar and nightclub. For something cheaper and somewhat edgier, check out the concerts and arty club nights at the converted Red October Chocolate Factory or one of the hipster-friendly all night parties at shabbily elegant Kitay-gorod townhouse Solyanka.

Exciting experiences in Moscow

There is no better way to see Moscow than on a double decker, hop-on hop-off bus. See top Moscow attractions on this comprehensive sightseeing tour, such as Red Square, Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, Red October and much more. Hop on and off as many times as you like at any of the nine stops around Russia's intriguing capital city for a full 24 hours of sightseeing. A city of contradictions, Moscow can be considered one of Eastern Europe's most fascinating urban destinations.

Covering all of the highlights and most beautiful places in the enchanting Russian capital. The tour begins with a stop at the Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece and wonder of the 16th century. Take in many famous buildings and stunning views over this wonderful Russian city. During this two hour guided city bus tour you will also see the central historical part of Moscow and south-west of Moscow.

Discover hidden remnants of the Soviet communist regime on this two hour historical tour of Moscow, capital of the Soviet Empire for more than 70 years. With an informative local guide, you will learn all about the history of the Soviet Union, from the 1917 Great Socialist Revolution to Perestroika, and see important landmarks of the Soviet era, such as the former KGB headquarters and Revolution Square. Numbers are limited to 20 on this small group walking tour, ensuring personalised attention from your guide.

See the best examples of underground Soviet-era architecture on a 1.5-hour walking tour of Moscow's metro stations. With an expert guide at your side, visit five of Moscow's must-see stations, including iconic Mayakovskaya and learn all about Stalin's visions for the former Soviet Union. Hear about the Metro-2, a secret line said to have been used by the government and KGB and see grandiose architecture, mosaics, sculptures and more.

Visit the Kubinka Tank Museum on a 4-hour excursion from Moscow, with a knowledgeable private guide! Home to thousands of military tanks that date from the Second World War to the current day, the incredible museum is arranged into different pavilions that each display original battlefield tanks, replica models and other intriguing military memorabilia. Once inside the museum, the itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to the sights you want to see.